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Meet Me at the Fair: 1941
... 1941. View full size. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. nice If these ladies are from the circus, is the one on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 5:57pm -

"Backstage" at the girlie show at the Vermont state fair, Rutland. September 1941. View full size. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. niceIf these ladies are from the circus, is the one on the right called, "The amazing bearded legged woman?" PaulaIs that Paula Poundstone on the right? (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Rural America)
Corn-Fed: 1941
... client near Castleton, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pursed ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2019 - 8:34pm -

August 1941. "Having dinner at the home of Ray Lyman, FSA client near Castleton, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pursed lipsI like the way the brother and sister who have drunk most of their milk have the same mouths. Similar fingers, too. They also both have milk moustaches. Future ethanol farmerWhen my lovely bride was about the same age at the girl in this photo, she put down seven ears of corn in one sitting. In the 40 years I have known her, she has never duplicated that feat. Perhaps three in one sitting but mostly just one ear will be gnawed to the cob. Yes, my wife does have that corn-fed appearance. Burning questionsOK so what are the darker things swimming around on the plates -- beans? What is Dad about to sink that spoon into? Why is little sister looking daggers at her brother? Who's going to eat all of that corn on the cob? Is that Mom whose back is reflected in the mirror? I assume that's her glass of milk and plate to Dad's right. But who's the fellow in the hat? Did he eat already? Maybe he's the one waiting to get his hands on all of that sweet corn. Saving the best for last?Or maybe not. Corn back then wasn't very sweet and it had a short shelf-life. Looks like they have plenty of butter and salt at the ready. i can't help itBut it looks like immediately after an argument and Daddy laying down the law of the land. Anchor Hocking Fire King jadeite Salt & Pepper shakers! Worth a fair chunk of change these days. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Jack Delano, Kids, Kitchens etc., Rural America)
Gonna Fly Now: 1941
... grounds. Caroline County, Virginia." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Much to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2019 - 10:37pm -

June 1941. "Some of the children of a family who must move out. The Army is taking over the area for maneuver grounds. Caroline County, Virginia." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Much to comeIn a few months, these children will see a dramatic turn around in their lives. The entire nation got spun up in response to WWII. By the time the girls reached adulthood, America was on top of the world and would soon be on the moon. But for the time being, that story would have been a tough sell. The faces of true poverty If anyone has forgotten, this is what poverty looks like. I can’t get the haunted look on their faces out of my mind. And the filth. Even the baby is just covered in dirt, her little dress just grimy most likely from wearing the same clothes for days on end. The flies complete the picture and the kids seem oblivious to them because they are always there. Just like the dirt on their clothes. No wonder they look haunted. It just makes you wonder what became of them. Indoor/OutdoorAt first glance this looks to be and indoor photo but I think this is an outdoor shot. The difference in siding suggests to me a later addition with a covered porch, probably near the kitchen area. The flash bulb gives the appearance of an overhead light. [If this was outdoors, the window would be hung the other way, with the bottom sash on the inside. And the icebox and kitchen utensils wouldn't be on a porch. - Dave] Las Meninas by VelazquezAnother place, another time. Aerial ManeuversAnd that area is now Fort A.P. Hill, the fly capital of Virginia, and them flies will be moving from house to latrine shortly. Countless FliesAnd to think I go on a commando mission if there is just one fly in the house! The Art of WagAs in Picasso's "Three Musicians," the important part of the picture is the dog. Henry (Hy) HintermeisterThe December 1940 calendar plate is from the hand of the American illustrator Henry (Hy Jr.) Hintermeister (1897–1972) (or 1970?) Below another example, with the same "uncle," boy and dog. thnx Dave, of course it isn't (the boy's) grandpa (The Gallery, Dogs, Jack Delano, Kids, Kitchens etc., WW2)
Fairy Kist: 1940
... of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. How about ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/04/2019 - 10:36pm -

August 1940. "Daughter of John Yenser of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. How about a hint?This pun is too clever for me. How about a hint? Chin downI'd say she's practicing her best Lauren Bacall look, but it's about four years too early for that. Not burnt, just flavorfulI would gladly enjoy the darker crust on the freshly made loaves -- the charred, crispy edges, preferably baked in a wood stove and spread with good butter would make a delicious part of any meal. The last laughThey laughed at my burnt bread. I laughed at their chalk outlines. Pound cakeMy wife’s grandmother would bake about 30 loaves of bread for every adult in the family as a Christmas gift. These loaves were about 4x4x6 and weighed a lot. My wife watched the matriarch make these and was amazed no measuring was done. Just a pinch of this and some of that. When it came to the sugar it was a handful. The next year my wife interrupted the process by measuring how much a pinch actually was and made them at home. They didn't taste the same. Grandma added a lot of experienced love to the recipe and her antique oven probably had smthing to do with it too Love the linoleum (?) backsplash... can't ... stop ... staring ... at ... it ... Won't take no guffLook at her arms--they don't "bulge", but it's very obvious that she's been doing things like kneading bread to help the family. She's a strong young lady who won't need to take abuse. Love those eyes and that look, too. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kitchens etc.)
Pinned: 1943
... Railroad between Argentine and Emporia, Kansas." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. The joy of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/04/2014 - 5:07pm -

March 1943. "Conductor G. Reynolds, checking his waybills in a caboose of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad between Argentine and Emporia, Kansas." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. The joy of black and whiteI am certain the Pepsi Cola ad looked far less stimulating to our Mr. Reynolds in full color than what is powerfully rendered here in glorious, gorgeous, and, may I dare say glamorous black and white. There was just something about the ads in that era. Cola ads were once far more enticing, even more perky, than now. Nailed downJudging from the number of fasteners on this gentleman's pinup picture, he's sure of keeping it for himself! The world is not grayHere is what brightened his day. AT&SF Rocks!The interior of this caboose seems much brighter and better kept than most of the others depicted on these pages over the years. Altogether, not a bad place to work, wartime or not. Jules Erbit, artistThis particular pinup is the work of Jules Erbit. Forced (along with Bela Lugosi) to flee his native Hungary after their 1919 workers' revolution in Budapest failed, Erbit set up shop in Manhattan, and painted many magazine covers and calendars. David Saunders has compiled an impressive summary of Erbit's travels and jobs. Although the name of his model for this painting seems lost to history, postcards, coffee mugs, and magnetic calendars bearing this likeness are for sale on various websites. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Pretty Girls, Railroads)
Behemoth: 1943
... chat while waiting for orders to pull out." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. It's a big one! Engine 3014, Class H ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2014 - 9:40am -

January 1943. "Freight operations on the Chicago & North Western between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. The crew, with exception of the fireman, chat while waiting for orders to pull out." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. It's a big one!Engine 3014, Class H 4-8-4, was built by Baldwin in September 1929 (Manufacturer's #61066). It was rebuilt on February 11, 1948, as Class H-1 and retired on May 13, 1953. That's that hatThe guy second from left is wearing the very functional Stormy Kromer hat. Still being made since 1903. UberbehemothThat's a pretty impressive looking photo, but a couple of years ago we visited the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, in Duluth, and saw the Mallet No. 227 that used to haul iron ore to Duluth and Twin Harbors. It's an articulated, 4-8-8-4 locomotive, similar to the Big Boy type built for Union Pacific. It's over 120' long and they have it set up so that every so often you can see how all of the component parts of the driving wheels worked together in harmony. It is truly a marvel of engineering. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Yesterday's Headlines: 1941
... support and whittled-down chair. Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Amazing technology In the late 1970s I was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/12/2018 - 9:30am -

June 1941. "Mr. Cary Williams, editor of the Greensboro Herald Journal, a newspaper in Greensboro, Georgia." Spitting hot lead at an ancient Linotype machine. Note the custom-fitted ergonomic back support and whittled-down chair. Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Amazing technologyIn the late 1970s I was studying graphic design, and our instructor took a group of us to the offices of Sunset Magazine to see a linotype in action. The publication was just weeks away from going computerized, but the operator put on quite a show for us. There's nothing like moving parts to make work seem entertaining. etaoin shrdluI still have-and use regularly-a Linotype machine. Also, the metal is melted and used at around 535 to 545 degrees. Less than that it won't melt properly, and much above that is when you are apt to get squirts. The aroma is uniqueI worked in the office of a hot lead Hearst paper in Baltimore in the '70s. The building’s back stairs included a landing that was open to the pressroom, and the odor of molten lead poured into stairwell. Nothing else smells quite like that. Shorpy brought it all back to me! Printer's DevilThis reminds me of one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes starring Burgess Meredith as the devil masquerading as a reporter who promises to salvage a failing newspaper in exchange for the editor's soul. LineageI believe Etaoin Shrdlu was Lorem Ipsum's grandpa. ETAOIN SHRDLUA well-known "phrase", but I followed Dave's LMGTFY link, and was surprised not to find the reference that first came to mind -- "Etaoin Shrdlu" is the title of a 1942 short story by Fredric Brown about a sentient Linotype machine. Etaoin shrdluIt had to be said. Huh?Over my head this morning. [Google it. - Dave] ProgressEarlier this week, I ran across a story of an 8 monitor, 18 million pixel custom workstation with a sling chair that is like a modern incarnation of Mr. Williams' rig. Hot LeadvilleIn Saguache, Colorado, there's a newspaper called the Saguache Crescent that is still produced daily on an old linotype machine. Ah, yesterdayIn the 1960s when the Comanche (Texas) Chief was still a hot-type operation, I used to hang out in their print shop, watching Bob Carpenter set type (he was good enough as a reporter AND printman that he would sometimes compose his articles directly on the lino) and Minor Taber and Woody Ormsby run the jobbing presses. If I hit at the right time on Thursday afternoon, I could watch the crew wind up the big rotary press to run the week's edition of the Chief; that was a special treat. A Blast from the PastWhen I was a high school senior in Chicago I took a print shop class, where we were taught to operate a Linotype machine just like this one. It always scared the hell out of me; we were warned that if we mistakenly left an open space in one of the lines of brass keys we were assembling, molten lead at 700 degrees Fahrenheit would "squirt" in our faces. Our machines were old and cranky, and I could rarely type out more than three lines before something would jam. Now I see them on display as museum pieces ... yikes! Spitting LinotypeI have a documentary on the Linotype. (www.linotypefilm.com) Apparently, experienced operators could hear a warning sound to back off quickly to avoid getting hit by a bit of hot lead. I got a chance in the 1960s to see a room full of them at the News Call Bulletin in San Francisco. You don't forget a mechanical wonder like that. Family TraditionCarey Jones Williams, April 6, 1901 - July 9, 1991 Carey (with an "e") later served on the University of Georgia Board of Regents. His son Carey Jr. is the current editor (and owner) of the Greensboro Herald Journal. Not dead yetThere's a movie: http://www.linotypefilm.com and the Linotype is so loved that there are at least two organizations in my immediate area (Waltham and Haverhill, Mass.) with one or two working units: https://www.charlesrivermuseum.org/ https://museumofprinting.org/collection/ I love old, well built, intricate and obsolete machinery. And Real Computers have switches and blinking lights. LinosaursBoth The Printing Museum in Houston and the Baltimore Museum of Industry have full print shops on display, and if you hit 'em on the right days a retired operator (from The Houston Chronicle or Baltimore Sun) will be there to make them sit up and talk for you. (Technology, The Gallery, Jack Delano, The Office)
Sunrise, Sunset: 1940
... grocer, and S. Kalmonwitz, fishmonger. 35mm negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Then & Now In the same photo ! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/10/2015 - 6:46pm -

November 1940. "Jewish stores in Colchester, Connecticut." R. Goldman, grocer, and S. Kalmonwitz, fishmonger. 35mm negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Then & NowIn the same photo! 1940 US CensusThere is a Rose Kalmonowiz living with/renting to a Benjamin and Rebecca Goldman; they both lived at 45 Lebanon Avenue. Benjamin's occupation is listed as a Grocer. Going back a decade to 1930, there is a Sam (or possibly Siam) Kalmanowitz living on Lebanon Road, with the occupation of "Fish Peddler." I'd bet decent money that Benjamin and Sam are the Goldman and Kalmaowitz from this photo. Where's Tevye?Transliterate the Roman characters to Cyrillic, and this could be a scene from a typical Eastern European shtetl around the time of the Black Hundreds' atrocities, dirt streets and all. Jewish stores?I am puzzled as to why the caption references the stores as "Jewish". Selling groceries (Coca Cola, Salada tea, tobacco products, fresh vegetables, Hires Root Beer, Royal Crown Cola, and fresh fish) make them Jewish? If the owners were named Rossi and Mangioni, would these , then, be "Catholic stores"? [The photos in the Library of Congress FSA/OWI Collection come from several federal government projects whose purposes included documenting as well as publicizing the country's ethnic and cultural diversity. Overseas propaganda value was among the considerations, especially as war loomed. The captions and descriptions originally appended to the photos therefore recorded such information when it was relevant. -tterrace] It's sunsetIt would actually be sunset given the position of the shadows and the house. [Sunrise, Sunset. -tterrace] Jewish farmersIn the early 20th century, the Jewish Agricultural Society in New York began an effort to establish agricultural settlements in and around Colchester, Lebanon, and Montville, Connecticut. Some of the transplants rapidly moved on to other businesses. It appears Delano (incidentally, himself a Jew) was recording this next step. A good article on the topic is here. Re: Jewish farmersIn Canada, all immigrants were given a crack at free land via the Dominion Lands Act of 1872, the purpose of which was to populate the Prairies (as well as to prevent the land from being claimed by the neighbors to the south). For a $10 administrative fee, the immigrant would get 160 acres (a quarter-section) of free land, provided he cultivated at least 40 acres and built a permanent dwelling within three years. Many of my ancestors were lured west with this offer but ended up in small towns as shopkeepers or in cities as urban workers. The intriguing magazine cover (below) is taken from the article Manalto links to. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Rural America, Stores & Markets)
School Days: 1941
... school near Fairfield, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Rural schooldays And some 30 years earlier, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/24/2019 - 12:42pm -

September 1941. "Two of the Gaynor boys walking to school near Fairfield, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Rural schooldaysAnd some 30 years earlier, my Dad rode his horse to school in northern Kentucky, carrying a loaded revolver. Lunch pailsSome people in Nebraska called it that too. I visited the Pioneer Village museum in Minden, Nebraska a couple years ago, and there was a one-room schoolhouse. In the front of the schoolhouse, there were lunch containers all lined up. There were lunch pails and cigar boxes and any other containers that school children in the old days could bring their lunch in. Alternate SpellingI lived in Maine long ago when first married, and worked for an old-timer who called his lunch pail a Dinner Bucket. Brilliant!Sun flash on the Lunch Bucket. Serendipity, do you think, or are there multiples of this shot trying to get it? [Actually it's because Ma packed Billy a plutonium sandwich. - Dave] Uphill Both WaysI'd be willing to bet that during winter they had to walk uphill both ways in the middle of a blizzard. Beyond the PailLooking at the young man on the left, you can see where the old expresson "lunch pail" got its origin. Lunch was actually packed in a small bucket or pail. It had a handle, was sturdy and leakproof. Maybe the term lunch pail was a regionalism, but it was popular in my area, especially among factory workers. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kids, Rural America)
Snowy Joliet: 1943
... the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railyard." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Can't ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/24/2014 - 10:50am -

March 1943. "Joliet, Illinois. Leaving the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railyard." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Can't quite make it outKeep the door closed when ??????????? cars. [Illegible in the original. -tterrace] Sign, sign, everywhere a signMy take: KEEP THIS DOOR CLOSED WHEN NOT WEIGHING CARS Mixed Signals?That looks like a train order signal. Not motorized, each blade appears to be manually operated by means of a pipe that extends down each side of the mast to just above the ground and then... nowhere. No trackside racks for delivering orders/messages on the fly, no telegraph office visible... are there any Santa Fe experts out there who know what this signal might have been for? WestboundMr. Delano was looking back from the caboose of a westbound train; the view is actually NNE. Des Plaines River/Sanitary and Ship Canal to the left, EJ&E bridge and Joliet Coke Plant in the background. The Scale HouseAn important ancillary building once found in nearly every yard, but now less common, was the scale house. Most cars containing bulk commodities such as grain, coal, and such were weighed - both to determine the weight for transportation charges by the railroad, and often for the charges the shipper would bill their customer for the merchandise. Every car had (has) the empty weight of the car stenciled on the side of the car, and the switching crew and a clerk would weigh each car, and subtract the Lt Wt (Light Weight, as stenciled) to determine the weight of the contents, and attach the scale ticket to the Bill of Lading. Note that there are four rails past the scale house. The Live Rails were for weighing the cars, the Dead Rails (or Bypass Rails) were so that engines could pass the scale without using the Live Rails, since their weight often exceeded the capacity of the scale. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Class Struggle: 1940
... The teacher is Miss Holmes." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Eyes are on the Ruler. And she probably ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/11/2019 - 10:11pm -

November 1940. "In a one-room schoolhouse in Ledyard, Connecticut. The teacher is Miss Holmes." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Eyes are on the Ruler.And she probably knows how to use it. Corporal punishment. Boy on the left looks like Schwartz from A Christmas Story. Evidently a redoubtable womanand not to be crossed. Good citizenThat boy standing up voted earlier in the day. Don't mess with Miss!Even though each new class won't believe it, Miss Holmes has seen it all, and then some. Boys, that idea of yours for mischief might be great and brand new to you. But for your teacher it's old news, and stale to boot. So don't_even_think_about_it! Eyes Like DaggersWow, that is some icy glare. Those tough ol' nuns who taught me got nothing on Miss Holmes. I'll bet you could hear a pin drop in that classroom. OK, Miss Holmes, say "cheese!"Those boys with their desks right up near Miss Holmes are probably the ones she has judged to be troublemakers. It's possible they happen to be there only because the schoolroom is very crowded but Miss H impresses me as a no-nonsense type. I wonder what they call her when she isn't in earshot. Nine surviveAccording to a 1992 NY Times article, nine one-room schoolhouse structures still exist in Ledyard, out of the original 14. Their use was phased out in 1949 when Ledyard Center School opened. Ledyard Center School, incidentally, is now considered obsolete and is about to host its last year as a school. https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/01/nyregion/the-other-ledyard-one-room-s... MemoriesI remember those types of desks. I was in elementary school 10-12 years later than this photo. The old wooden flip-up desks with inkwells no longer used of course. Chairs attached to the cast iron legs. I believe the school had to sand down the tops every few years to get out the latest carvings of initials. In Defense of Miss Holmes I suspect everyone was on their best behavior for the photographer and this shot implies more than what actually occurred. The boy she's looking at looks well behaved. Although this is only my gut feeling. Miss Holmes could be a tough one. Miss Holmes is Having None of Your GuffOh, DRGW, you wouldn't dare drop any pins in Miss Holmes' room. Miss HolmesShe must have been related to all three of my wives. I have seen the look on every darn one of them! It surely couldn't have been anything I did -- (The Gallery, Education, Schools, Jack Delano, Kids)
Message Received: 1943
... Topeka & Santa Fe between Belen and Gallup." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Clarence W ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/06/2015 - 1:10pm -

March 1943. "Dalies, New Mexico. Conductor C.W. Tevis picking up a message from a woman operator on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe between Belen and Gallup." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Clarence W TevisFound in the 1940 census with wife Ferol? in Gallup New Mexico. Both born circa 1891. Listed as Railroad Conductor. Died 4 June 1971 in San Diego CA. RIP PanacheExtraordinary photo, certainly shoots way up immediately in my Delano favorites. Here's a man, not at all young, with strong and hardened hands, performing a physical task nimbly and efficiently -- while smoking! -- with a cigarette holder!! I look forward to the comments on the details of this message device. (The woman: a blurred statue beside the dynamic conductor, caught crisply at precisely the right moment.) Re: Cigarette Holder.In those days, a lot of men rolled their own smokes as it was far cheaper than buying premade. Usually, this led to loose tobacco getting into your mouth, on your face or clothes (been there, done that). As a result, many chose to use a cigarette holder to crimp the smoke and keep the tobacco where it belonged. It wasn't just the fashion statement as in the case of FDR! The message device is called a Train Order Hoop even though it is Y-shaped. The name comes from the shape of an earlier device that was used for the same purpose, to deliver messages to non-stop trains as they passed a station. The paper containing the message was tied to a loop of string that in turn was held by the 'hoop'. The man on the train would stick his arm through the loop and snag the string with the attached message. This was a improvement over the older system where the entire hoop was snagged. After the message was removed the hoop was thrown from the train for the person on the ground to retrieve, sometimes quite a distance down the track. (It wasn't a great feat to get a crisp picture of the conductor, he was traveling at the same speed as the camera.) The practice continued This practice continued on Class ones until the advent of cab signals. Here is a Conrail train picking up orders at a temporary block station in November, 1978 On message hoops..There were variations - we at the CPR used a steamed wood hoop design, made in Angus shops. These worked well, unless you were the station junior clerk who had to gather them up from down the line after they were dropped by the train crew..in the pic, notice the flimsy dates from the Multimark era (the Multimark was in use from 1968 until 1987 or so) A. V. O.The "flimsies," so called because of the lightweight paper used, contained dispatching orders for the train. For example, that they should proceed to siding xxxx, clear the main line, and wait until train number YY passed before proceeding. This was part of an elaborate system of decentralized traffic control, documented in a book called "Rights of Trains," revised by Peter Josserand, head dispatcher of the Western Pacific railroad and a friend of my father. Flimsies and other forms used by the WP typically carried the letters "A. V. O." at the top, which stood for "Avoid Verbal Orders." Misunderstandings could be fatal. Why "Flimsies"Some of the other commenters have mentioned that the old-time train orders were nicknamed "flimsies" because they were on lightweight paper. The thin paper allows light to come THROUGH the paper. This allows the order to be read by the light of a dim kerosene lantern or even the light of an open steam locomotive firebox door. This practice of using translucent paper continued far into the diesel locomotive era. Bright interior lighting is not wanted in any locomotive cab - it cuts the crew's night vision. TimingDoes anyone know how fast this train would have been moving? I know nothing of railroads, but quite a bit about photography, and I'll say that even with great skill, the perfect timing of this exposure involves at least a little bit of luck for the photographer. And the faster the train was moving, the greater the luck/skill ratio required. Until a definitive answer arrives, I'll give an educated guess based on the relatively limited motion artifact that the train was not going very fast at all. More about "Flimsies"In addition to what SouthBendModel34 said, the paper used was thin to make it easier for the agent or operator to write multiple copies "in Manifold". Double sided carbon paper was used and placed behind the first page of a manifold, and behind each of the other odd numbered pages. If handwritten, a stylus was used as a writing instrument - not a pen or pencil. If typewritten, typewriters without ribbon were used. The first page and all subsequent odd pages had the message on the backside of the paper, and were read through the paper. Even numbered pages had the message on the front. As many as 10 pages could be prepared simultaneously, whereas if single sided carbon paper was used only half that number could be prepared at once. Another feature of the "flimsies" paper is that is was fairly waterproof, and that messages from the carbon paper did not smear. Here's a 60 year old example of such a flimsie as might be handed up to a crew as shown in the original photo. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Glass House: 1941
... glass works in background." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/26/2018 - 12:16pm -

January 1941. "One of the houses in the Negro quarter of Rochester, Pennsylvania. Abandoned glass works in background." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A survivor?Probably not the exact house, but a contemporary - it is in the right area, and seems like a period specimen; the former glass works property is in the distance behind, to the left. HC Fry GlassThe abandoned glass works was originally the HC Fry Company, sold to Libby in 1933; they operated it for three more years before shutting down. HC Fry was known for making cut glass and oven ware - pieces show up on auction sites regularly. More info here. (The Gallery, Factories, Jack Delano)
Everything Must Go: 1941
... to be taken over by the Army." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Close to Home I'm a Navy reservist whose ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/13/2019 - 10:30am -

December 1941. "Bayamon, Puerto Rico (vicinity). Proprietor of a small general store, which will soon be evacuated because it is in an area to be taken over by the Army." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Close to HomeI'm a Navy reservist whose girlfriend is from San Juan (Bayamon is a suburb now). I was there in March and had the privilege of drilling with the Navy at Fort Buchanan. This is the Army base that the man lost his store to. Philco RadioThat's a nice 1940 Philco Model 40-140 radio on the shelf! Boca ChicaPuts me in mind of sunshine and ice cubes. True ColorsMalta India, top shelf, far right Nasty stuff, that malta. Tastes like a sweet, thick, dark unfermented Guinness stout. Cloying! It's popular in the Caribbean, though. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Puerto Rico, Stores & Markets)
Country Barber: 1941
... shop in Centralhatchee, Heard County, Georgia." Photo by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Maybe ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/28/2021 - 4:35pm -

April 1941. "Mr. J. H. Parham, barber and notary public, in his shop in Centralhatchee, Heard County, Georgia." Photo by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Maybe there's one just out of sight --My grandfather was a country barber for most of his adult life. I remember his shop very well. What's missing in this shop is a spittoon. JepJeptha Howard Parham was born in Georgia on June 23, 1886, to Charles (1864-1948) and Mollie Virginia Bell (1867-1907). He married Cora Lee Adams in 1905; they had one son, Austin Hershal (1908-1970), a WW2 vet. Jep was a four-time mayor of Centralhatchee, serving in 1925, 1930, 1931 and 1935. According to his WW1 draft registration he was of medium build and height, had light brown hair and blue eyes. Cora died in 1972, Jep in 1974. Just what this country really needsAre more barber shops. Instead of calling for an appointment how does six weeks from today sound? I liked walking into a shop and hearing two ahead of you. Look down before looking up A string of posted licenses and certificates; enough reserve Colgate stock to last a year; and the prestige of a notary public commission -- all the trappings of a high-status pillar of the community... ... but the farmer's got WAY better shoes than the barber. Old-school barberI’m old enough to have gone to classic barbers like this, and the photo evokes so many positive memories. I love the stuff on his shelves. And those bottles of dark liquid immediately trigger a cavalcade of smells, not to mention the sound of the barber slapping it in his hands and applying it to my freshly-shaven neck. I’m just putting two and two together and wondering if the not-unpleasant smell I associate with older guys from the olden days was partly due to the smell of these magical potions and fluids. (Thank you, Shorpy, once again, for awakening and clarifying features of my life from long ago.) I miss barbershopsNot stylists, not chain haircut franchises, not "men's salons"... just plain old barbershops. A snarky barber, three or four of the gentry sitting and discussing the state of the union, 14 year old magazines on the table. You just don't find them anymore. Pop. 200The population of Centralhatchee in 1940 was approximately 200, so I would presume that Jep Parham was the only barber in town. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Rural America, Small Towns)
Lunch With Elibia: 1943
... View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. Elibia's Lunch I believe ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 3:31pm -

April 1943. Clinton, Iowa. Chicago & North Western Railroad "Mrs. Elibia Siematter, employed as a sweeper at the roundhouse." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. Elibia's LunchI believe she is having an old favorite of mine as a kid, a banana flip, a great taste and memory. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Two-Cent Cigars: 1942
... and sell for about two cents." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Vapor ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/28/2019 - 3:57pm -

January 1942. "Yauco, Puerto Rico, In a small cigar factory. These cigars are made for local consumption and sell for about two cents." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Vapor Cherokee"Steamship" Cherokee was sunk by the German navy on June 16, 1942. Sinking of the Cherokee Do the MathIf the cigars retailed for two cents, he was probably paid something like a cent for every five he rolled. The Fighting 69thBased on the activities in World War I of the actual 69th Infantry Regiment from New York City, the film is about the fictional character Jerry Plunkett played by Jimmy Cagney. Watch the trailer on YouTube for more Irish clichés than you’d think could be crammed into under two minutes. Fight fanIsn't that the "Brown Bomber" to the left? Our cigar roller ooks like a fan of exciting things doing his best in a job that just might be dull. Leftover ScrapsYou can see that he's using small, chopped scraps of tobacco, almost like cigarette filler. Definitely not premium, full leaf cigars. (The Gallery, Factories, Jack Delano, Movies, Puerto Rico)
Grill Noir: 1940
... George's Grill, open all night. 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Curb Service A term I've never heard of, can ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2014 - 9:35am -

May 1940. "A hamburger shop in Durham, North Carolina." George's Grill, open all night. 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Curb ServiceA term I've never heard of, can anyone explain this method? Do they really run from the kitchen to your car with a hot hamburger sandwich? NighthawksReminds me of one of my favorite painters, Edward Hopper... he would have enjoyed this scene. Curb Service ExplainedYes, they come out to the curb. The forerunner of the drive through window. Curb Service VariationsIce Gang, you must be pretty young not to have heard of it. All I can say is that you've missed out. The restaurants that I remember that had curb service were drive-ins off the street. The curb was the stop block (or an actual curb if there was a sidewalk between the building and the parking lot). Where there was a paved lot, some drive-ins offered waitresses who wore rollerskates and wheeled your food to you. I can think of two restaurants in my area that are still drive-ins with curb service, Sonic and Stewart's. They don't have dining rooms. Until a few years ago our local Sonic had skating waitresses. When I was much younger I used to go to Sovine's and the South Wind. The latter also had a dining room and a poolroom in the back, along with the obligatory dime a song or 3 for a Quarter jukebox. Those were the days. In 2007George's Grill in 2007: Thirst Stops HereOne of the many ad campaigns for Coca Cola. That whole block is gone. It is now a parking lot. The smells!Looking at the picture I can just smell the smell of cooking hamburger and onions on a hot summer night, hear the sizzle on the grill, see the steam rise, and feel the warmth of the cup of coffee put before me. I bet they were good there, lots better than McDonalds. Then there's the bluesy muted trumpet music and a story for each person in there..... There's a million stories in the Naked City. Who knows, maybe there's a game going upstairs? Hopper's painting is one of my favorites. I remember an episode of the TV show "That 70's Show" where two of the actors segued into that very scene at the end of the show. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Jack Delano)
Enosburg Falls: 1941
... passing through Enosburg Falls." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. De-railed The tracks have all been ripped up ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2019 - 9:58pm -

September 1941. "Small town scenes in Vermont. Locomotive passing through Enosburg Falls." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. De-railedThe tracks have all been ripped up on Depot Street: This looks like a 1940's calendarscene, I want to move here, I hope it is still the same. WowThis evokes Mayberry RFD, or Petticoat Junction, or both. Could almost be a Rockwell. Just call 203to order Grade B milk (also referred to as manufacturing grade milk). Notice: does not meet fluid grade standards and can only be used in cheese, butter and nonfat dry milk! Tremendous PhotoAmericana at its best. American flag, kids watching the train, service station, corner store. I love this picture. Ready to popI'm crazy about that adorably diminutive popcorn shop. We have a popper at home that would barely fit inside that building. I wonder if tiny popcorn pop-ups near railway stations were a "thing" in the '40s. In It's A Wonderful Life, when George Bailey meets the train of his brother Harry and Harry's secret bride, Ruth Dakin (She's a peach!) Bailey, the gorgeous Ruth/Virginia Patton is munching on popcorn the whole time she breaks it to George that Harry won't be sticking around in Bedford Falls. Little boy's ghost in Google Street ViewWhat a great photo! The building with the ice cream purveyor and the house next to it are clearly still standing. But look west down the abandoned right-of-way in Google Street View and you see someone walking. Looks a lot like the little boy leaning up against the telephone pole. Eerie! Remember the smells?This image smells like coal soot, pine tar, leaded gas, dry weeds and vanilla. Does anyone else "smell" old photos? Bring back the ice creamThe gas station has moved but the ice cream building is still there, next to what is now a rail trail. Seems like a great opportunity to reopen. Submit your CVWe appear to have a head-on shot of Central Vermont Class M3-a #453, a Consolidation (2-8-0) built by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1916. The Central Vermont was a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway until the CN’s privatisation in 1995, when the CV was sold off. Currently the tracks are owned by Genesee & Wyoming, operating as the New England Central Railroad. The eastern part of the CV’s Missisquoi division, which includes Enosburg Falls, saw occasional use by the Lamoille Valley Railroad until about 1989. The strange-looking “eyebrow” pipe in front of the smokebox is part of a Coffin feedwater heater system. A lot of Coffin heaters were installed inside the smokebox, but these external ones were common for retrofits. 453’s exact fate isn’t known, but she’s undocumented as preserved, and was probably scrapped in the mid-1950s along with her sister #454. Extra tubing?I am waiting for a railroad historian to tell us whose locomotive this is (I don't think it's Rutland), but what is that big tube in front of the smokebox? Former Missisquoi RR; now a Rail TrailThese tracks were originally part of the Missisquoi Railroad's line connecting to services at both Sheldon Junction and Richford, Vermont, completed in 1872. As noted by Marchbanks, it became part of the Vermont Central, etc. Passenger service ended in 1938/1939, so we're looking at freight service. The bridge at Sheldon Junction was damaged in an accident in 1984, which was the end of traffic from that direction. The bridge still stands. At the Richford end, portions of a wye remain, but the tracks were removed by 1992 when the entire line was abandoned. It is now a walking trail called the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. (The Gallery, Gas Stations, Jack Delano, Railroads, Small Towns)
The Family Bus: 1941
... near South Rutland, New York." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Curious Anyone know what the function of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/01/2019 - 8:04pm -

October 1941. "Children of Dan Sampson, who moved out of the Pine Camp expansion area in August, waiting in the family car for the school bus near South Rutland, New York." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. CuriousAnyone know what the function of the chrome tubes attached to the inner part of the front fenders might be? Chrome tubesThose chrome tubes appear to go to horns mounted on the inside of the fenders. I also dig the lights on the visor over the windshield. Good mechanicLooks like 1925-1927 Chevrolet 2 door, and judging by the very different paint condition on the fenders, hood, and other body panels, I'm guessing it was salvaged, possibly out of two or more cars. Given that not every car lasted that long those days, testimony to a guy who knew his way with a wrench and a screwdriver. Chrome tubes - horns?I think Curious was referring to the thin chrome tubes projecting in front of the radiator. they go into a device inside the fender that looks like a horn diaphragm, but if so, I would expect the tubes to flare out. Horns?The chromed, curved tubes look like customized horn trumpets (rusted off at the ends) to me. It looks like Mr. Sampson enjoyed adding special accessories to his Chevy but never seemed to get around to fixing that door latch. I like the belt wrapped around the pillar! A Chevy, but --This is a Chevy Sedan, but sports a Franklin lion radiator cap. And those tubes on the inside of either fender are air tubes for horns that no longer adorn the vehicle. Frumpy facesI drive two granddaughters to a school bus stop most mornings and I'm sure glad that they, and nearly all the other kids that collect there, have smiles and happy exchanges with one another while they wait the arrival of the bus. The children in this photo look like smiles are way down the road from them. Sad, isn't it? StrappingNice door lock. What it isThe car is a 1927 Chevrolet. Pine CampNow Fort Drum, one of many posts significantly expanded to train troops inducted on the eve of our entry into World War II. It's still going strong as home of the 10th Infantry Division (Mountain). Evidently the Sampsons were among those families whose land was acquired through eminent domain. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Jack Delano, Kids)
Kids in the Hall: 1940
... in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Crackerbox Interesting - I don't know the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/08/2018 - 10:42am -

January 1940. "Tenants living in a crackerbox. Slum tenement in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. CrackerboxInteresting - I don't know the nuances of the term and it's not widely used in my experience, but I always thought of a crackerbox as a small, single family type home. This appears to be a tenement building of some sort. [As stated in the caption. - Dave] Yes but those are contradictory terms to my understanding. Far from Broadway Beaver Falls, Joe Namath's hometown. Bad landlordOwners, or even renters with a good landlord, would have swept away those cobwebs and swept the floor. I am also always stunned by the beauty of tenements. Yes, they were deathtraps, yes, they were tiny and disease ridden, but by golly, they knew how to do woodwork around that plaster. Icebox in the HallI have one EXACTLY like that sitting out in the garage. ZappCan't quite figure out what the collection of overhead wiring is all about, but I wonder if it has anything to do with the dark fan-like marks where the wall meets the ceiling. [You are looking at cobwebs and clotheslines. - Dave] Head slap: Of course, me bad. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kids)
Tower B: 1943
... hump. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. Cleanest hands in the railyard Love that sweater/jacket! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 2:00pm -

May 1943. Melrose Park, Ill. Chicago & North Western towerman R.W. Mayberry of Elmhurst at the Proviso Yard. He operates a set of retarders and switches at the hump. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. Cleanest hands in the railyardLove that sweater/jacket! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Ready to Roll: 1943
... Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe yard." Nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. The Wheels Were Always Waiting. These guys ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 1:12pm -

March 1943. Barstow, California. "Head brakeman J.C. Shannon (left) and swing brakeman B.E. Wilson waiting for their train to pull out of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe yard." Nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. The Wheels Were Always Waiting.These guys were tough! Getting on one of those tanks on the move at night in the rain, sleet or blowing snow by the light of a coal oil lamp was a challenge. Sort of a grasping leap in harmony with the moving train. Footing impeded with sloped ballast edge or deep snow while carrying the lamp, which would go 'out' if roughly handled. You had only one chance! on a moving tank. If your boot heel slipped beyond the stirrup you could feel the wheel rubbing against it just waiting to carve you to bits if your hands slipped and you pivoted under and fell. Flat cars were worse to board, with less to grab. The Engineer could never stop in time, if he even saw you slip and fall far back in the train, the tonnage pushing. No radios, then. If you had to 'walk' the top of the train to relay hand signals, set up or take down retainers or apply hand brakes, when required by whistle signal, you climbed down to the tanks from the boxcars and went around the outside of the tank on the wooden running board holding on to the hand rail pipe at speed. The tops of the high cars rocked back and forth sideways in answer to the staggered rail joints under the wheels, and it was often better to run than walk, jumping car-to-car, with a long fall to the waiting wheels below. Ice and snow made this a challenge, rain too, or if the catwalks were slippy with oil from an oil-fired engine or a new Diesel's exhaust. Too old to go back, and glad of it. Thank You. BarstowMy hometown. Life imitating art?That could be a still from a movie starring the young Spencer Tracy and Charles something (I keep forgetting the name). [Bickford? Laughton? Ruggles? Butterworth?] Charles Laughton, I think. Thanks for the pointers! A moments respiteAs a former yard brakeman, this brings back the memories of a few quiet moments waiting for someone else to do their work and get out of our way. That tank car was not only a nice place to sit, but it had a two step stirrup with a high running board, making it a much easier car to get on of off than many tanks and flats. The Nickel Plate Road safety officer always discouraged our trying to get on or off this type of car while it was in motion. Maybe that little advice contributed to our being a Harriman Safety Award winner so often. Since the air hoses between the tank and box car are not connected, there is still some work to do before this cut becomes part of a train. But the guys shown here certainly have the wherewithal to assemble it. InitialsPerhaps one of you old railroaders could refresh my memory on this. Several years ago my daughter bought me a wonderful coffee table photo book that was comprised of all night photos of steam trains in Virginia (I believe). In the book they noted the tradition of railroaders using initials instead of names. Thoughts? [Possibly O. Winston Link's Ghost Trains or Steam Steel and Stars] Yes, I believe that it is indeed Steam, Steel, and Stars! Brakeman in 1943?KC Ry., Your account of a brakeman is accurate, in the days before Westinghouse Air Brakes, pre-1893. In the photo I see brake shoes on the tank car, and an air line between the cars. Q - What then was the role of a Brakeman in 1943? Setting of brakes when cars were uncoupled? Jack Delano RR photos are always enjoyable. GraffitiGee, where is all the "beautiful" spray-can artwork that adorns out present-day rail stock? Although I am an artist, I can't stand this vandalism. Not only a waste of paint, but detrimental to the environment. The photo looks like source material for one of Norman Rockwell's cover projects. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Go Right: 1940
... in Colchester, Connecticut." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Has ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/11/2019 - 4:34pm -

November 1940. "The main square in Colchester, Connecticut." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Has enjoyed a facelift Brisk!Though I have no idea what "SALADA" tea is, it must have been popular in the Northeast, as it was also advertised in a previous Shorpy shot of a grocery store in Vermont. Also, I always believed that 'Package store' was a term only used in the South (where it can still be heard occasionally), but I was apparently wrong. SaladaAs a kid, I used to collect the large plastic coins that came in each Salada tea box my mom bought, with pictures of sports figures and planes and cars. We even had circular plastic storage devices (which might have come from Jello) that could hold eight stacks of the coins. This system competed with the insect, mammal, bird, and dinosaur cards I collected from the Red Rose tea my mom also bought. The Salada Tea Building (built in 1917, bought by Salada founder Peter C. Larkin in 1921) still stands in Montreal. The company was created by Larkin in 1892, and he discovered the name in a directory of tea gardens and chose it because he liked the pleasing sound and its similarity to the word Canada. Only a Doctor and FuelAlmost everything you need is in this little strip. Food, clothes, booze, a dentist, drug store and a lawyer. The pharmacy probably was like a general store. The whole toothI wonder if the dentist was amused by placing his signs in the windows directly above the Drink Coca Cola signs. Goodbye thirst, hello tooth decay. NRS tagThe Buick(?) rear facing us in the center of this photo has license NRS, that being the initials of the owner. Connecticut was the first state in the nation to offer "initial" vanity license plates starting in 1937. No other state would do this until the late 50's, now they are everywhere. In Connecticut, however, there was a catch: you had to have a perfect driving record to get them for your car. But there was no extra fee. Salada TeaSalada has a long history dating back to the early 1890s. Initially distributed in the northeast US and eastern Canada, it now has a much wider distribution. Currently, it is my wife's choice for organic green tea and is available in the Publix grocery stores here in Key West. Wikipedia has a short article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salada_tea About that lawyerMorris H. Broder grew up in Colchester, as the son of Leon Broder (ne Brodsky) a local businessman and leader of the local Jewish community (which was a primary subject of many of Jack Delano's Nov. 1940 pictures of Colchester). After graduating from the local high school (Bacon Academy), Wesleyan University in 1929 and Harvard Law School in 1932, Morris was elected to the state's House of Representatives in 1932. After working for a firm in Norwich for a year, Morris had returned to his hometown and put up his shingle in the window of this second-floor office on Main Street above the pharmacy. His son was born shortly before this photo was taken, and has followed in his footsteps. Thats a lotta teais the intent of the naming. Been around midwest since forever. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Socks Workers: 1941
... Greene County, Georgia." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Chipman Union hosiery mill Probably at the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/18/2019 - 9:40pm -

November 1941. "Sock driers at the hosiery mill in Greene County, Georgia." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Chipman Union hosiery millProbably at the Chipman Union hosiery mill in Union Point. Nearby we may find the Terrace Hotel. Finally a connection to tterrace's nickname? Sock it to meSock driers? Who woulda thought?!! All men.Usually, one sees seas of women in old factory photographs. This one, however, shows only men, one grinning as if this is one of his predilections. Every household had them!Back in the day, before the use of man-made textiles, clothes were made largely of natural fibers like cotton and wool. To keep socks from shrinking after being washed, they were mounted on these dryer frames. I guess they've gone the route becoming collectors items like scrubbing boards and wringer washers. (The Gallery, Factories, Jack Delano)
Roy Nelin: 1942
... R.R. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. Rockwell There's a very Norman ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 2:02pm -

December 1942. Melrose Park, Illinois. Roy Nelin, a box packer in the Proviso Yard roundhouse of the Chicago & North Western R.R. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. RockwellThere's a very Norman Rockwell character in this photo. Light, texture. And what an expressive eyes! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Portraits, Railroads)
Store Noir: 1940
... 11 p.m. Durham, North Carolina." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Spirits ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/06/2018 - 4:12pm -

May 1940. "Corner store at 11 p.m. Durham, North Carolina." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. SpiritsThere seem to be a couple of Ghosts hanging out on the front steps. Shorpy on filmI'm watching the 1940 movie "Primrose Path" with Ginger Rogers and Joel McCrea, and every shot looks like a still from Depression-era Shorpy photos. I can only conclude that the set dresser and art director knew what they were doing. The diners and stores look just like photos we see here, interiors and exteriors alike. Time exposure with someone coming or goingThe blurriness of the photo (and being at night) suggests a long exposure, so the "ghosts" on the front step are probably one or more people walking in or out of the place during the exposure. But a nice change, because we don't get a lot of night shots here. The shadow on the streetis classic, you couldn't devise a shot like this. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Rural America, Stores & Markets)
Pine Camp: 1941
... Camp expansion area." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Now Fort Drum When I was a kid my dad used ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2021 - 8:56am -

August 1941. "Pine Camp military area, near Watertown, N.Y. Removal of farm families and relocation in new sections with the aid of the New York Defense Relocation Corporation. Two of the children of Mr. Earl J. Brown helping to get the last few belongings out of their farm in the Pine Camp expansion area." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Now Fort DrumWhen I was a kid my dad used to go to Pine Camp every summer for two weeks of reserve training. Pine Camp is now Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kids, WW2)
Man-Cave Caboose: 1943
... take back from division points." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Pinups ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/21/2013 - 10:25am -

January 1943. "Freight train operations on the Chicago & North Western Railroad between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. The caboose is the conductor's second home. He always uses the same one and many conductors cook and sleep there while waiting for trains to take back from division points." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. PinupsSeveral appear to be by Vargas, clipped from Esquire perhaps. Humble chapeauxStormy Kromer cap on his head, another hanging on the wall. I bet they loved theirs as much as I do mine. Ha!I love the placement of the "Dining Car In Opposite Direction" sign. I've ridden passenger trains since my youth, and those signs used to be ubiquitous; ubiquitous on trains that had dining cars, anyway. It was a great, way for keeping the herd of passengers properly oriented. There's no such thing now on Amtrak, and there's frequently heard chatter among passengers debating whether they should go one way or another for a meal. I think the Superliners had illuminated directional arrows at one point; but they were never too prominent and, as far as I know, they've been dispensed with by now. Think Night of the Living Dead, with passengers wandering about more or less aimlessly. September 25I'm guessing that says "1st snow 9-25 5pm." Do you suppose it was common for train crews to record the first snow of the season? Snow in SeptemberUnfortunately the gams of the reclining nude (not of the Amedeo Modigliani variety) obscure the snow related details of September 25, 1942. The attached weather map gives us a clue however. It appears as if a train from Chicago to Iowa would have been in the white stuff most of the way. The calendar features a historic trio of the famed CNW 400 locomotive fleet; Chicago to St. Paul, Minnesota---400 miles in 400 minutes. PinupsCover the era from late '20s to 1943 when the photograph was made. Especially cute is a charmer from about 1927 made like a little fan right under a young lady dressed in the styles of the day. Love this! I love this picture! My house is right on this rail-line.. looking at them right now out my office window as I type. Thanks for posting this picture! Caboose HumorI love the sign posted over the doorway: "Dining car in opposite direction". It looks like a sign from a passenger train advising passengers that they were going in the wrong direction, if they were looking for the dining car. Having had the exasperation of walking through several cars and discovering it was all for naught. Then having to retrace one's steps dodging other passengers through a moving train, a sign like this would have been very helpful. Ah!! To once again eat and sleep on a train is something I doubt I will ever again experience. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Pretty Girls, Railroads)
Track Crew: 1942
... at the Illinois Central rail yard, Chicago." Photo by Jack Delano for the OWI. View full size. Watermark I just noticed the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2015 - 1:05pm -

November 1942. "Track crews repairing tracks in the roundhouse at the Illinois Central rail yard, Chicago." Photo by Jack Delano for the OWI. View full size. WatermarkI just noticed the faint watermark in this image. Is this something new, or have I just not been very observant when looking at past images? [Not very observant. - Dave] Mountains in IllinoisThe tenders poking out of the roundhouse all belong to IC 2500-class 4-8-2 "Mountain" types. These locomotives were built in IC's own shops, re-using the boilers of some earlier Lima-built 2-10-2 types. Capable in either freight or passenger service, they lasted until the end of steam on IC. Here's a good look at one: Which roundhouse?Which roundhouse was this? Did IC have any others in Chicago besides 27th Street? (The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
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